Just Married (Finally)!

We met in 2011 in our high school American Sign Language class. We were paired up during a group activity that required us to maintain eye contact and a neutral facial expression. As you all know, keeping us from smiling is a near impossible task, so it was no surprise when smiles quickly creeped up on our faces and we were the first to start smiling and laughing. Admittedly, Tessa had a crush on Denton the moment she made eye contact with him, but it was not until summer of 2013 that God brought us together and revealed His plan for us.

In 2014, after only a year of dating, we began our long distance relationship. We never would have imagined this wild, adventurous, challenging story that God wrote for us. For more than 5 years now, our relationship has consisted of nightly Skype dates and phone calls, countless hours on the road, plane tickets, overwhelming joy upon reuniting, and countless tears shed for each goodbye. Looking back over our journey, and now looking forward to our marriage, we are amazed at God’s love for us. On our wedding day, when we meet each other at the end of the aisle and join hands, long distance will finally come to an end and we will be united as one.

In June of 2019, to celebrate us both graduating from college, we planned a trip to go to California. Tessa visited Yosemite National Park before and loved it, and desperately wanted to share it with Denton. We both love to hike and be in nature, so we were thrilled to spend a few days together in such a stunning place. On our first full day, we booked a one-way ride to Glacier Point, a breathtaking overlook of Yosemite Valley with views of Half Dome, El Capitan, waterfalls, and snowy mountain peaks. Upon arrival, we were in awe at the view. We walked to a private spot away from the crowd to savor the scenery together. In that spot, Denton got down on one knee and asked Tessa to be his wife. The moment could not have been more beautiful or perfect. We began our engagement with a picturesque hike down the “4-mile trail” from Glacier Point to the valley featuring stunning views at every switch-back.